2019 Renault Clio revealed

Renault completely unveiled its all-new fifth-generation Renault Clio ahead of its official launch at the Geneva motor show this March.

Measuring in at 4048mm long, standing 1440mm and 1798mm wide tall the 2019 Renault Clio is 14mm shorter, 30mm lower but around 66mm wider than the current car.

Claimed to be both more elegant and 'dynamic' than the car it replaces, the new Renault Clio's design lifts styling cues like its LED lamps, large grille and central air scoop from its bigger brother, the Megane.

The next Clio also steals some of its sibling's air bending tricks, like the front air deflectors that channel curtains of air around the front wheel arches reducing turbulence and front-axle lift.

Despite shrinking overall externally, the French car-maker claims its mark V Renault Clio offers passengers a roomier, more spacious cabin -- that, incidentally, is claimed to feature a 'revolutionary' design.

The revolution, Renault explains, has been in the leap forward in the Clio's both perceived quality and driver ergonomics.

Pushing the Clio closer than ever before to rivals like the Audi A1, Renault says owners will appreciate the use of high-end materials, soft-touch dash, door panels and central console and the general attention to detail throughout.

New technology also dominates. As previewed before the Clio's unveiling, the French Volkswagen Polo-rival comes equipped with not only a full configurable digital dash but the largest infotainment systems in its class, with a huge 9.3-inch portrait-mounted screen that dominates the cabin.

The steering wheel design, meanwhile, improves the view of the instrument panels ahead thanks to a new more compact airbag.

The central console has also been reconfigured with ergonomics in mind and is now positioned higher. This has allowed engineers to mount the manual gear shifter in a more optimal position with the next Clio now boasting a shorter lever for a more natural and comfortable change.

There's also more storage space and a wireless smartphone charging area.

Finally, the new shapelier seats are said to be completely redesigned to offer more support and kneeroom for rear passengers that now have an additional 26mm legroom. The 330-391-litre boot space, meanwhile, is claimed to be class best.

Following the trend introduced by car-makers like MINI, the latest Renault supermini will allow owners to tailor the look of the console, dashboard, door panels, steering wheel and arm rests with no fewer than eight design and colour schemes.

There's even ambient lighting that, again, offers eight differing shades of light to bathe the cabin.

Based on the latest Renault-Nissan Alliance CMF-B platform, that will also underpin the next Nissan JUKE later this year, the Clio is said to shed weight (around 22kg) and also thought to bring significant gains in structural rigidity, resulting in better handling and crash protection.

In Europe, the Clio will arrive with just three engines -- a naturally aspirated 1.0-litre that produces either 49kW or 56kW, a 1.0-litre turbo that gets 74kW or 96kW and a 1.5-litre diesel that's available with 63kW or 85kW.

A year after launch in 2020, Renault has confirmed it will introduce its first Clio hybrid that will combine a small 66kW petrol engine with a 30kW electric motor and a small 1.2kWh battery.

According to the engineers who have developed the new hybrid, in town or urban areas the small Clio has been designed to work in pure-electric mode 70 per cent of the time.

The same hybrid powertrain is destined to also resurface under the bonnet of the all-new 2019 Captur SUV that will offer a pure-electric range of more than 50km.

From launch, Renault says the Clio will also be available in a new RS Line trim in place of the old GT Line.

Introducing sportier styling, like the F1-blade front bumper, honeycomb grille and new 17-inch wheels, inside there's sport seats, faux carbon-fibre trim and red stitching.

It's still not known when exactly Renault Australia plans to launch the all-new Clio Down Under but it's thought it will arrive in Q3 or Q4 of this year.